WWE Elimination Chamber reshapes WrestleMania title picture and match card

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• Chicago’s crate, a coffin, and an odd WWE return
• Title changes and underwhelming showings in Chicago
  • Women’s Intercontinental Title: a hometown celebration
  • CM Punk’s win and a possible new WWE power couple
• Women’s Elimination Chamber: Rhea Ripley claims Mania shot
  • Key eliminations and moments
• Men’s Chamber: masked attackers, a Rollins reveal, and a surprising winner
  • What happened inside the chamber
  • The chaotic finish and its fallout
• Where storylines stand heading into WrestleMania season

Chicago served as a restless, roaring backdrop for WWE’s Elimination Chamber, where surprises, title changes, and strange returns kept the crowd buzzing even when some matches didn’t hit their marks. With WrestleMania looming, the show doubled as a pivot point — shifting storylines, seeding feuds, and delivering a few jaw-droppers that will shape the road to the biggest night of the year.

Between a mysterious crate that dominated weeks of teases and a pair of championship moments, the evening mixed old-school theatrics with modern production stunts. Fans left with plenty to debate: who’s in position for Mania, which rivalries intensified, and whether the show set up the right main-event picture for the weeks ahead.

Chicago’s crate, a coffin, and an odd WWE return

For weeks, a sealed crate labeled “Do Not Open Until 2/28/26” had been a recurring prop on both Raw and SmackDown, sparking speculation about what — or who — might emerge. When General Manager Adam Pearce and Nick Aldis finally unlocked it at Elimination Chamber, the reveal leaned into the bizarre.

• A coffin was discovered inside the crate, followed by a troupe of dancers.
• Danhausen appeared, handed Michael Cole a jar of teeth, and stood in the ring in silence before lights-out theatrics drew boos and confusion from parts of the crowd expecting a much bigger name.

The return felt unconventional: debuting from a crate after a multi-year absence is an unusual way for any performer to reintroduce themselves to the WWE Universe. The reaction was mixed — some fans delighted at the unexpectedness, while others had hoped the tease would reveal a marquee star like The Rock or Chris Jericho.

Title changes and underwhelming showings in Chicago

The night saw at least one championship change and a hometown celebration that didn’t always match the in-ring drama. A high-profile women’s title match and a marquee singles bout involving a Chicago favorite provided emotional beats, even as the wrestling itself drew uneven reviews.

Women’s Intercontinental Title: a hometown celebration

AJ Lee captured the Women’s Intercontinental Championship in a finish that thrilled the Chicago crowd. Against Becky Lynch, the match had a rough start as nerves and physical bumps dictated the pacing. An exposed turnbuckle and a referee bump set up a controversial ending — Lynch tapped to the Black Widow, then took a final, decisive hit on the exposed corner that allowed Lee to walk away with her first title in over a decade.

The win was a crowd-pleasing moment and added emotional weight to the evening, even if the in-ring storytelling left some fans wanting more consistency.

CM Punk’s win and a possible new WWE power couple

CM Punk’s entrance sequence — complete with the Bulls’ “Sirius” and his iconic “Cult of Personality” — ignited the Chicago arena, but the match itself didn’t reach the same level of electricity. Despite early interference from Finn Bálor, Punk managed to land a decisive GTS for the victory. After the bell, Bálor offered a handshake that suggested a character shift, and Punk celebrated with AJ Lee in the ring, hinting at a renewed on-screen alliance that could carry significant heat into WrestleMania season.

Women’s Elimination Chamber: Rhea Ripley claims Mania shot

The women’s Chamber was a showcase of power moves and aerial risks, culminating in Rhea Ripley securing a championship opportunity for WrestleMania. Inside the unforgiving steel structure, several names stood out for their performances.

Key eliminations and moments

• Asuka’s early pod exit and her signature mist played into the first elimination.
• Kiana James briefly capitalized on a roll-up pin following the mist sequence.
• Raquel Rodríguez produced a highlight moment by driving Kiana through a pod with a running powerslam and later stacking multiple opponents for a double elimination.
• Tiffany Stratton’s high-flying style produced big moments but ultimately proved costly when Ripley countered from the top rope and finished with the Eradicator.

Ripley’s victory cements her as the logical opponent for Jade Cargill’s WWE Women’s Championship, positioning the massive star as a central figure heading into Mania weekend.

Men’s Chamber: masked attackers, a Rollins reveal, and a surprising winner

The men’s Elimination Chamber was chaotic and storyline-heavy, featuring backstage beatdowns, in-ring eliminations, and two mysterious masked figures that dramatically changed the finish.

What happened inside the chamber

• Logan Paul leaned into heel tendencies, entering as the brash antagonist and scoring three eliminations (including Darby Allin, Trick Williams, and LA Knight).
• With three men left, a masked figure climbed the outside of the structure and was removed by officials; he was seemingly a decoy.
• A second masked man infiltrated the match and delivered a curb stomp to Logan Paul, enabling Cody Rhodes to eliminate him.

The unmasking exposed Seth Rollins as the orchestrator behind the attacks, a revelation that lit up the crowd and reinserted Rollins into the Mania narrative. Paul Heyman’s visible shock and Cody Rhodes’ stunned reaction made the moment a turning point of the night.

The chaotic finish and its fallout

After Rollins’ reveal, the melee continued: WWE Champion Drew McIntyre assaulted Cody Rhodes with the title belt, prompting a multi-front brawl. Randy Orton and Rhodes traded finishers, but it was Orton — the Viper — who capitalized, delivering an RKO and walking out of the Chamber as the victor.

On the post-show, officials confirmed that Drew McIntyre will defend the WWE Championship against Cody Rhodes on Friday Night SmackDown, setting up a volatile main-event scene heading toward WrestleMania and leaving open the possibility for additional contenders to be inserted.

Where storylines stand heading into WrestleMania season

Elimination Chamber reshuffled a number of matchups and left several questions unresolved — a deliberate tactic for building intrigue in the weeks before WrestleMania. Fans will be watching live television closely for the next moves from returning stars and those who picked up momentum in Chicago.

• Seth Rollins will likely address his return on Raw, clarifying motives and targets.
• Brock Lesnar remains without a booked opponent for WrestleMania; names like Oba Femi and LA Knight have been floated as potential challengers.
• The announced McIntyre vs. Cody Rhodes title match on SmackDown promises more skirmishes and potential interference ahead of Mania.

With the Road to WrestleMania now fully underway, expect promos, run-ins, and surprise appearances to accelerate over the coming weeks as WWE tries to turn the unanswered questions from Chicago into must-see television moments.

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